Creating a Variable Load BESS Control System

Project Description

Project

Hybrid Power Generation System

Location

California

Background

A leading supplier of electricity in California had an existing LM6000 gas turbine built to operate at peak power of 50 megawatts. Their goal was to integrate a 10 megawatt Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and allow the turbine to operate from 2 megawatts to 50 megawatts.

Challenges

The existing turbine, emissions system, and compressor system were designed to run at full load, so changes in communications and sequencing were required for the equipment to run at variable load. The system had to be integrated into the state power grid while still maintaining current and legacy control. Due to its location, the facility required extremely stringent emissions standards while testing and operating the new system.

Solutions

The design-build project involved the integration of a revolutionary power generation system into the current company power infrastructure, and then into the national grid system at two different locations. The revolutionary Hybrid Power Generation System maximizes the client’s existing capital assets by enhancing them with modern technology. The expertise of EN Engineering’s Automation team allowed the project to progress smoothly, remain on schedule, and produce a flexible and responsive system.

With the addition of the BESS to the turbine, it moved the system into a different power assist model. The EN Engineering team worked with the turbine and BESS manufacturers to create a groundbreaking control system that would handle the communications and sequencing changes required for this new system. The control algorithms that were specially developed for the hybrid system will translate to other applications in the power generation industry.

A major benefit of the new hybrid system is a substantial energy savings that is achieved from the BESS syncing with the grid and adding or shedding power as needed without starting the turbine. The turbine only needs to start if the demand exceeds the storage of the batteries.